鲸鱼传媒

This year鈥檚 Baccalaureate guest speaker will be Jeffrey E. Arnold. Mr. Arnold serves as the executive director of the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities (APCU). He has previously served as VP for business strategy at Ruffalo Noel Levitz, co-owner/CFO of 422 Group LLC, and executive director for higher education marketing for The College Board. He holds degrees from Duquesne University, Penn State, and Waynesburg University.

The Distinguished Faculty Award has been presented to an outstanding member of the 鲸鱼传媒 faculty every year since 1990. The award is presented to a tenured faculty member who, over a sustained time, has demonstrated distinguishing characteristics of the most outstanding faculty: intellectual vitality, effective communication skills, the ability to motivate or inspire, compassion and concern for student success, collegiality, and leadership. The winner鈥檚 name will be announced at this year鈥檚 Commencement ceremony.

This year's honorary degree is being awarded to Michael Anthony.

Michael F. Anthony 鈥�77 is a distinguished corporate leader and a 40-year veteran of the retail and brand-building industry. Over the course of his career, he has served as president, chief executive officer, and chairman of the board for both public and private enterprises, demonstrating a sustained record of leadership and innovation in consumer-focused businesses.

Mr. Anthony is best known for his tenure as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Things Remembered Inc. from 2007 to 2015, where he led the nation鈥檚 largest retail chain of personalization stores and advanced its growth as a multi-channel retailer. Prior to that, he held a series of senior executive roles at Brookstone from 1994 to 2006, including chairman, president, and CEO, helping transform the company into a leading specialty retailer with a national presence in premium malls and airports. Earlier in his career, he also held leadership roles with Lechter鈥檚 and Gold Circle, further establishing his expertise in retail operations and brand development.

Today, Mr. Anthony continues his work in private equity, where he identifies and helps shape the strategic direction of consumer and retail brand opportunities.

A graduate of 鲸鱼传媒, Mr. Anthony earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration, cum laude, in 1977. He has remained deeply committed to his alma mater, supporting the growth of the 鲸鱼传媒 Entrepreneurship Center and serving as a valued member of the College鈥檚 Board of Distinguished Visitors. He has also established scholarships at both 鲸鱼传媒 and Corry High School to support student success.

Mr. Anthony resides in Amherst, New Hampshire, with his wife, Debra. They have two adult children, Nicole and Eric. In recognition of his professional achievements and enduring contributions to 鲸鱼传媒, the College is proud to award him the honorary degree of Doctor of Business Administration.

This year's senior speaker is Kole Alcorn. Kole is a Psychology and Criminal Justice Studies Double Major from Eau Claire, Pennsylvania. During his time at 鲸鱼传媒, Kole was the President of the Campus Programming Council and President of Titan Theatre Group, starring in roles such as Edward Bloom in their production of Big Fish. He was also a member of the Orientation team and lead the group this fall as the Orientation Student Coordinator. Finally, Kole is a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

During his time at 鲸鱼传媒, Kole had many experiences that shaped his interest in Psychology and Criminal Justice. He interned at the ARISE Crisis Shelter and the Hermitage Police Department, growing his interest in mental health and community-driven work. He also participated in the Inside-Out program, a class that gave him perspective on how people interact with the Criminal Justice System. Outside of 鲸鱼传媒, Kole is a server and bartender at The Tavern on the Square.

Following graduation, Kole intends to enter the workforce to gain experience in his field. He hopes to continue his education in Clinical Psychology at a doctorate level to pursue a career in mental health within the Criminal Justice System, combining his passion for both subject areas.

Every fall the incoming class is introduced to a beloved 鲸鱼传媒 tradition, the 鲸鱼传媒 gauntlet. At Opening Convocation new students are welcomed symbolically into the College by passing, for the first time, through the gauntlet. Three years and nine months later, at Commencement, faculty, administrators and board members form a similar gauntlet to usher the graduates into the world beyond 鲸鱼传媒.

The Weisel Senior Terrace, the stone patio attached to the south side of Old Main, serves as the site for 鲸鱼传媒鈥檚 Commencement ceremony each spring. Tradition says that if 鲸鱼传媒 students step foot on the terrace prior to Commencement, they will not graduate. For generations, students have been abiding by that theory, and only employees, alumni, visitors or graduating seniors are ever seen walking on the terrace鈥檚 stones.

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The caps, gowns, and hoods worn in the Commencement exercises are patterned after the attire of monks and students in the Middle Ages. The bachelor鈥檚 degree gown is distinguished by the long pleated front, intricate shirring across the shoulders and back, and long pointed sleeves. The master鈥檚 degree gown is similar but is different in the oblong, hanging sleeves. Those who hold the doctor鈥檚 degree wear a gown featuring broad velvet panels down the front and three velvet bars on each sleeve. This velvet trimming may be either black or the distinctive color of the field of learning represented by the degree.

Black is the traditional color of the gowns. However, many faculty who hold doctorates wear gowns distinguished by the primary color or colors of the institutions which awarded the degrees.

The caps worn are of many different types. There is the traditional 鈥渕ortarboard,鈥� the soft 鈥渂eret鈥� type, and the 鈥淔lorentine鈥� style. The tassels of the caps are worn on the left side by those who already possess bachelor鈥檚 degrees. Those who are to receive bachelor鈥檚 degrees in today鈥檚 exercises wear theirs on the right side until the presentations are made, at which time they will shift the tassels to the left.

The hood is probably the most distinct feature of the costumes being worn. The size of the hood varies according to the level of the degree held. The bachelor鈥檚 is the smallest, the master鈥檚 is somewhat larger, and the doctor鈥檚 the largest of the three. The inner silk lining of the hood symbolizes the colors of the institution which conferred the degree. The outer velvet border of the hood signifies the field of learning to which the degree pertains, such as the following:

鈥� Walter E. Scheid
Professor of Speech Emeritus

The drawing on the inside of the diploma covers that graduates receive was created by Donna White, daughter-in-law of trustee emeritus Richard L. White 鈥�61 and wife of Todd White 鈥�88.

鈥淥ld Main Memorial in Pen and Ink鈥� portrays the College鈥檚 signature building, Old Main Memorial, built in 1929. Mrs. White created the work for the College鈥檚 Sesquincentennial celebration, honoring 鲸鱼传媒鈥檚 150th birthday.

The 鲸鱼传媒 medallion is a symbol of the Office of the President and is worn by the president with academic regalia at formal ceremonies and convocations. The medallion was specially crafted to represent simultaneously the College鈥檚 faith heritage and continuing quest for educational excellence. About four inches in diameter, it is fabricated in bronze with gold plating, and is worn suspended from a velvet ribbon, two inches wide, bearing the College鈥檚 colors of blue and white.

The medallion鈥檚 central portion is adorned with the image of an Olive Tree branch, selected to symbolize both peace and humanity鈥檚 connection to God the Creator. The outer ring encircling the olive branch contains the inscription Collegium Westmonasterium, the Latin form of 鲸鱼传媒, plus two stars located in positions similar to those on the College Seal. The date of the College鈥檚 founding, 1852, is placed to the left of the branch and is written in Roman numerals. Directly above it, in Latin, is reference to its location in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The medallion is completed by inclusion of the phrase Quaerite Et Invenietis, translated 鈥淪eek and you will find,鈥� immediately beneath the olive branch. This phrase was taken from the Gospel According to St. Matthew 7:7, and is written as found in the 鈥渙fficial鈥� Latin translation of the New Testament (commonly called 鈥淭he Vulgate鈥�), prepared by St. Jerome in the late fourth century and revised in the sixteenth century. The phrase was selected to remind all of the Good News of the Gospel and that understanding and knowledge is advanced through diligent inquiry, and complements the Old Testament passage 鈥淏ind up the testimony and seal the law鈥� (Isaiah 8:16) found on the College Seal.

The medallion was designed in 1995 through the collaborative efforts of three 鲸鱼传媒 faculty members, A. Dwight Castro, professor of classics emeritus, Peggy L. Cox, professor of art, and John Deegan Jr., former Dean of the College. The medallion was created through the generous contributions of the friends of Mr. Raymond G. Preston 鈥�59 in his memory, and is permanently on display in the President鈥檚 Office in Old Main.

The 鲸鱼传媒 mace was handcrafted in 1995 by Mr. William C. Miller of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller, a master craftsman, made the thirty-four-inch mace out of black walnut wood, taken from a tree cut near the College, and brass. Considerable lathe work and hand carving was required to obtain the elaborate shape and original designs in the wood, as well as the turning of brass for decorative ornamentation. The headpiece of the mace is adorned with four medals, two bearing the image of the 鲸鱼传媒 medallion and two bearing the image of the 鲸鱼传媒 seal. The mace was given to 鲸鱼传媒 by James G. James Jr. 鈥�78 and Mary Cooley James 鈥�84, and is permanently on display in the Office of Academic Affairs in Old Main.